Electrochemical dehydrogenation, epoxidation, substitution, and halogenation of hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives
AssigneeWisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
InventorsMarcel Schreier, Christine E. Lucky
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of making alkenes and/or epoxides from alkanes and hydroxy-alkanes, respectively. In a reactor having an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a solution comprising water, halogen ions, and an alkane and/or a hydroxy-alkane, apply a potential across the anode and the cathode such that a halogenated intermediate is produced at the anode as an anolyte and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte; and combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield an alkene and/or an epoxide.
Claims19
A method of making hydroxy-alkanes and alkenes, the method comprising:
- in a reactor comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a reactant comprising an alkane;
- and a solution comprising water and halogen ions, and
- (a) applying a potential across the anode and the cathode such that halogen radicals are generated from the halogen ions at the anode, the halogen radicals reacting with the alkane to produce a halogenated intermediate as an anolyte, and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte;
- and
- (b) combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield a hydroxy-alkane and/or an alkene;
- wherein the solution is substantially free of metal ions that undergo oxidation at the anode under the applied potential.
A method of making methanol, the method comprising:
- in a reactor comprising an anode and a cathode separated by an ion exchange membrane, and containing a reactant comprising methane, and a solution comprising water and halogen ions;
- (a) applying a potential across the anode and the cathode such that halogen radicals are generated from the halogen ions at the anode, the halogen radicals reacting with the methane to produce a halogenated intermediate as an anolyte, and hydroxyl ions are produced at the cathode as a catholyte;
- and
- (b) combining the anolyte and the catholyte to yield methanol;
- wherein the solution is substantially free of metal ions that undergo oxidation at the anode under the applied potential.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.